The Argosy — page 370: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Trish Convent Life. 349 dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” The girl rises, and takes from him a taper, upon which he says, ‘‘ The path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Then the others sing the words, “The Lord is my lght and my salvation, whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid ?” After another prayer the celebrant gives the newly professed a crucifix, saying, ‘‘ Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christin God. When Christ which is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” He adds the caution, ‘‘ God forbid that ye should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There are, of course, many other ceremonies gone through on such occasions, but the above gives at least an idea of the sad, solemn and impressive scene. Whilestaying at K I was very anxious to inspect theconvent there; but itis not at all easy to gain admittance to a nunnery; and so many difficulties offered themselves that I had almost despaired of success, when at last, through the agency of a Roman Catholic acquaintance, who was to accompany us, I and a few friends received the much desired carte of permission to visit the house. When we presented ourselves at the entrance door we found that it was provided with no knocker or bell. A child almost immediately opened it to us, however. She was one of a number of orphans maintained and educated by the convent. She was dressed in a sort of uniform, and wore a small frilled white cap upon her head. We were shown through a vestibule, into a reception-room. Here, as elsewhere throughout the building, the floor was uncarpeted and highly polished, while the pure and freshly-painted walls were ornamented with texts of Scripture and prints of lovely pictures, princi- pally, but not exclusively, on sacred subjects. An illustrated copy of the English New Testament lay on a table in the centre of this chamber. A number of foreign copies of the same book, translated into many different languages, were also here, having been presented to the establishment by different ecclesiastics, probably on the occasion of their having visited the house. There were folding-doors at one side of the apartment, and near these were placed two lovely statues, one of the blessed Virgin ; the other, doubtless, of St. Joseph. We were kept waiting some little time, and I had just turned to ex- amine and admire these, when, on a sudden, the Lady Abbess appeared before us. She was a plump, merry-faced, and yet dignified looking woman, and was dressed entirely in black, wearing a robe which swept behind her-in a train that seemed to be yards long. Behind her, with subdued and reverent mien, walked a lovely young nun, whom the Mother Superior introduced to us as the Lady Mary Agnese, and to whose charge and ciceroneship she consigned us. ‘‘ Keep close together, COMICOOOKS